JACK KAZMIERSKI

For Serioux, however, leaving the Lonestar State for Toronto was a homecoming.

A Scarborough native, Serioux attended Pope John Paul II high school, where he also enjoyed basketball, track and volleyball. He was a member of Malvern Soccer Club, played for the University of New Haven in Connecticut and started his career with the Toronto Lynx in 2001.

"It's definitely a treat to be back home," said the 29-year-old. "And it's a sigh of relief too. Growing up I had always hoped there would be a professional team here in Canada, and to have one in the city where you grew up is definitely a bonus. Playing in front of family and friends definitely makes you feel at home."

Serioux said the timing for the move couldn't have been better.

"I felt that it was the right time in my life to come back," he said. "I'm not one of the younger guys and so when it comes to where my (career) is almost at an end, I would definitely like to finish it off here. However, I feel I have a few more years left in me and will definitely do my job while I'm here. I just wanted to come back to the place I knew I would settle down."

Like the rest of his teammates, Serioux is hoping for the best as the season unfolds.

"My expectations are in line with those of the team. We all have our own personal goals, but at the end of the day it's a team thing and our goal right now is to reach the playoffs and hopefully win the championship. We don't expect anything less from ourselves, so as long as we keep the momentum up and our minds focused on our goal we'll achieve that."

The team looks like they're ready to take on the world.

"We're ready, we feel good and everyone seems to be on top of things," Serioux says. "As for me, I'm just going to have to get out there and do what is expected of me and perform to my best."